Shanghai plans to ban unlicensed street food

Beijing: Grabbing a quick bite from a roadside food stall would soon become a thing of the past for people in Shanghai as unlicensed vendors will be banned from September.

The Shanghai Food Safety Regulation that will require all food sellers to have a licence comes into effect Sep 1.

While current street vendors can apply for licences, they must operate their businesses only at designated spots and during certain times, the Shanghai Daily said.

"We`ve already set aside designated areas and periods for street vendors, outside of which street food selling is prohibited," said Yan Zuqiang, director of the Shanghai Food Safety Committee.

Officers will watch for illegal vendors, who will face a fine of 500 yuan (around $77).

The regulation also bans food producers from using expired food as ingredients.

The city revoked 360 business licences in a crackdown, after a company was found to have recycled expired buns and added dyes to make them look new, said Shen Weimin, deputy director of the Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision.